BSCIC must live up to its expectations
It is unfortunate that among the 74 industrial estates of Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC), only a handful are running with some form of efficiency. Most of the estates are in a very bad shape with plots lying idle due to a lack of basic amenities. On a recent visit to some of the estates, our correspondents have found that the road networks leading to the estates are very poor and many of the estates do not have proper drainage systems. Moreover, many of them even lack gas, water and power supply. Quite a few industrial units that are currently running in the estates have to suspend their operation during the rainy season because of waterlogging. Security issues, too, have not been addressed by the authorities.
The poor condition of the estates was reported by this daily several times in the past. It was reported that among the 74 industrial estates in 59 districts, at least 20 were established without any feasibility study. There were also allegations that many of the estates were established solely for political reasons. The result is that the BSCIC has failed to attract new entrepreneurs and generate employment among rural people.
Under the circumstances, to make all the industrial estates fully functional, the authorities must improve the condition of its estates through ensuring sufficient gas and electricity supply as well as improving the road networks. The 496 plots that are currently lying idle should be allotted to entrepreneurs through a fair selection process. Moreover, the weaknesses in rules and regulations should be urgently addressed.
Of all the BSCIC estates, since the one in Dinajpur has been the most successful, it should serve as an example for the rest of the estates. Needless to say, if all the 74 industrial units can be properly utilised, the economic impact would be phenomenal.
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